Eyeglasses preset for connection to cellular telephones for transmitting and receiving calls

ABSTRACT

Eyeglasses comprising a microphone in the front part, electronic noise-reduction components, connection cables located inside the eyeglasses, and a connector for a cable for connection to a cellular telephone.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pair of eyeglasses preset forconnection to cellular telephones for transmitting and receiving calls.

BACKGROUND ART

Over the last few decades, as telephony has developed, telephoneconnections have become increasingly frequent; however, while fixedtelephones require interrupting any activity in order to make and/orreceive calls, the arrival of the cellular telephone has given a newmeaning to the concept of telephony, allowing telephone connections evenin particular situations that are not strictly linked to the work orprivate environment and without the need to have a telephone connectedto the telephone line by means of wires and placed in a specific room.

It is in fact possible to communicate substantially in any enclosed oropen location covered by the telephone network and without necessarilyhaving to interrupt activity or work.

However, the use of a cellular telephone, which entails the use of one'shands to hold and handle the device, reply and/or dial the number, aswell as the use of one's sight to perform certain functions, distractsthe user's attention and concentration from the activity he isperforming, such as for example driving a vehicle, maneuvering amachine, performing sports activities, et cetera, possibly producingdangerous situations.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide eyeglasses which, inaddition to the normal optical and/or sunlight-barrier function, arecapable of constituting a means for transmitting and receiving cellulartelephone calls, so that the user can receive and make calls withouttaking his attention off the activity he is performing.

Within this aim, a consequent object of the invention is to provideeyeglasses that reduce the risk of emission of electromagnetic waves,which are believed to be dangerous for human organs such as the brain.

Another object is to provide eyeglasses that can be worn as easily andcomfortably as conventional eyeglasses.

A further object is to provide eyeglasses that can be used with any kindof cellular telephone.

Another object is to provide eyeglasses in which the devices fortransmitting and receiving cellular telephone calls are integrated so asto not alter their ergonomic features.

A still further object is to provide eyeglasses whose structure allowsindustrial-scale production at competitive costs.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparenthereinafter are achieved by eyeglasses, characterized in that theycomprise a microphone in a front part thereof, electronicnoise-reduction components, connection cables located inside thestructure, and a connector for a cable for connection to a cellulartelephone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will becomebetter apparent from the following detailed description of an embodimentthereof, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of eyeglasses according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged-scale perspective view of a detail of theeyeglasses of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the eyeglasses of FIG. 1 with acorresponding telephone;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the components located inside the frameof the eyeglasses;

FIG. 5 is a detail view of a universal three-contact connector for aconnecting cable that is used;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of a four-contact connector for a connectingcable that is used.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures, a pair of eyeglasses according to theinvention is, as usual, constituted by a front 10, which supports lenses11 (of the sight-correcting type or of the sunlight-barrier type), tothe ends of which temples 12 are articulated.

According to the invention, the eyeglasses comprise a microphone 13,preferably an ultraflat high-sensitivity one, which is located in theinner front part that is not in sight, for example of one of the temples12. Electronic noise-reduction components, described hereinafter ingreater detail, are also located inside the frame, as well as connectingcables 16. A connector 17 for a cable 18 for connection to a cellulartelephone 19 is also provided.

The microphone 13 can also be integrated in the front 10, in which caseelectrical contacts for continuity must be provided at a correspondinghinge 20.

As regards the connector 17, it is of the female type and is embedded ina terminal 15, and can be of the commonly commercially available typethat is complementary to a male connector 22 normally used in cellulartelephone connections and located at the end of the connecting cable 18.

The connecting cable also comprises a branch, at the end of which anin-ear headset 14 is arranged.

The other end of the cable 18 is provided with another male connector23, which can be inserted in a corresponding female connector 24 of thetelephone 19.

The connector 23 can be either of the universal three-contact type (FIG.5), or of the four-contact type (FIG. 6, designated by the referencenumeral 23 a).

The connector 17 is conveniently of the three-contact type in order tointerface with all telephone connection kits.

The connecting cables 16 (preferably of the shielded coaxial type inorder to eliminate any interference) are embedded in the plasticsmaterial in the case of eyeglasses with a frame made of plastics, or arelocated inside hollow regions of the structure in the case of eyeglasseshaving a metal structure.

As regards the electronic noise reduction components, with particularreference to the previously cited FIG. 4, an SMD passive noise reductioncomponent is arranged in parallel to the microphone 13; such componentis constituted by a capacitor 27 with a resistor 28 in series, also ofthe SMD type, in order to eliminate all transmission noise caused byelectrostatic discharges.

A button 29 is further integrated in the temple 12, adjacent to themicrophone 13, and is connected in parallel to the microphone 13 and inseries to an interface resistor 30, which allows to recognize theclearance signal given by the button 29.

The button 29, which avoids the need to pull out the telephone wheneverit is used, has at least one of the following functions:

-   -   manual answer (call acceptance);    -   end of call;    -   voice call start.

In a board 31 on which the electronic components are located, thesurface arranged opposite the components is shielded with conductingmaterial in order to avoid external noise.

In practice it has been found that the intended aim and objects of thepresent invention have been achieved.

The eyeglasses in fact appear to be entirely similar to normalcorrective eyeglasses or sunglasses and can be used normally for thispurpose, with the additional possibility, for example when driving,motorcycling, cycling or in other situations, to connect the microphone,by means of a cable, to a cellular telephone and to a correspondingin-ear headset and therefore to be able to transmit and receive calls.

Moreover, with the automatic answer function it is not necessary to holdthe telephone in one's hand, and by means of the button 29 it ispossible to make calls locally without taking one's sight off theaction, avoiding dangerous situations that can occur when driving a car.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with thecontingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according torequirements.

The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. PD2002U000007from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein byreference.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. Eyeglasses, comprising a microphone in a front partthereof, electronic noise-reduction components, connection cableslocated inside the eyeglasses, and a connector for a cable forconnection to a cellular telephone.
 16. The eyeglasses of claim 15,wherein said microphone is located in the internal part thereof that isnot visible.
 17. The eyeglasses of claim 15, wherein said microphone isintegrated in the front part of a temple.
 18. The eyeglasses of claim15, wherein said microphone is integrated in the front.
 19. Theeyeglasses of claim 15, wherein said connecting cables are embedded inplastics material in the case of eyeglasses having a plastics frame. 20.The eyeglasses of claim 15, wherein said connecting cables are locatedinside hollow regions of the eyeglasses in the case of metal eyeglasses.21. The eyeglasses of claim 15, wherein said connector is a femaleconnector embedded in the corresponding terminal, said female connectorbeing complementary to the connectors used in cellular telephonyconnections.
 22. The eyeglasses of claim 15, wherein said electronicnoise reduction components comprise an SMD passive noise reductioncomponent, which is connected in parallel to said microphone and isconstituted by a capacitor and, in series with said capacitor, aresistor, also of the SMD type.
 23. The eyeglasses of claim 15, whereinsaid connecting cables are of the shielded coaxial type.
 24. Theeyeglasses of claim 15, wherein for noise reduction there is ashielding, made of conducting material, of the base on which theelectronic components are located, said shielding being provided on theopposite surface with respect to said components.
 25. The eyeglasses ofclaim 15, wherein a button is integrated in the frame and is connectedin parallel to said microphone.
 26. The eyeglasses of claim 25, whereinsaid button is arranged in series to an interfacing resistor, whichallows to recognize the clearance signal given thereby.
 27. Theeyeglasses of claim 25, wherein said button has at least one of thefollowing functions: manual answer (call acceptance); end of call; voicecall start.
 28. A connecting cable for eyeglasses, comprising, at itsends, respective connectors, one of said connectors being complementaryto a connector of the eyeglasses and one of said connectors beingcomplementary to a connector of a telephone, said cable having a branchwith an in-ear headset.